Giants' Luis Arraez, candidate to be traded, given day off in Kansas City

KANSAS CITY, Mo. -  Luis Arraez didn't get an All-Star break, as he was at the game in Philadelphia - which is great, an honor, all that good stuff. But with temperature in the high 90s at Kauffman Stadium and the "feels like" index at over 100, San Francisco Giants manager Tony Vitello thought a day off for his second baseman might be warranted Tuesday. 

"It's a little bit cooler tomorrow," Vitello said. "A little bit into the matchup stuff, trying to find a sweet spot for him - but he wants to play every day."

Arraez hasn't faced fellow Venezuelan Luinder Avila, the Royals' rookie, before, but Avila is a right-hander with reverse splits - right-handed hitters entered Tuesday's game batting .292 against him, left-handers .268. Arraez is 1-for-5 vs. Wednesday starter Seth Lugo, but left-handers hit him at a .289 clip this year, right-handers .265.

Arraez, who can become a free agent after this season, entered Tuesday having played in 95 of his team's 100 games.

In general, this time of year it's not necessarily a bad idea to keep top trade assets a little extra rested and safe from harm where possible. Arraez has repeatedly banged foul balls off his right foot, nerve-racking for a front office that's likely to move him before the Aug. 3 trade deadline. 

The Phillies, Yankees and Mariners are among the teams who are scouting this series between two teams, the Giants and Royals, who will be sellers at the deadline, but Arraez doesn't profile as a fit for any of them. 

The Yankees, like the Phillies and Mariners, are looking for a right-handed-hitting outfielder, with the Giants' Heliot Ramos among the possible targets. 

McDonald to the IL: Pitcher Trevor McDonald, who left Monday's game in the fifth inning after feeling a twinge in his right elbow, was placed on the injured list and returned to San Francisco to see team doctors. 

The Giants recalled right-handed reliever Tristan Beck, who had a 3.98 ERA at Triple-A Sacramento and 32 strikeouts in 31⅔ innings. Beck, a frequent member of San Francisco's bullpen, has been especially effective against left-handed hitters, allowing them a .229 average. 

"You're going to get strikes, he can spin it good for you, always competes," Vitello said. "And despite the up-and-down efforts he's had to go through this year compared to last year, he's handled it like a pro."

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